Crate training, also called kennel training, teaches a dog to spend time in a plastic, wooden or wire enclosure called a dog crate. A common misconception is that this is cruel, when in fact dogs actually love the security of the crate.
The crate is just a way of recreating what wild dogs have always done – seek out a warm, secure den in which to curl up.
Start crate training from the very first night you bring your puppy home. By this time, you should have already bought the crate. Buy one that is suitable for your dog’s fully-grown size, but make sure that is has a panel that allows you to adjust the space as the pup grows. Start by setting the panel so the dog has enough space to turn around, but not much else.
Use a soft towel as bedding, rather than a blanket. The towel will be just as comfortable, but better at mopping up any spills.If your pup was bought from a breeder, see if you can get a strip of blanket with the mother’s smell on it. This will help the puppy accept the crate more quickly.
When placing the crate, put it in an area that get’s lots of human traffic. Dogs love interaction with others, so don’t make the mistake of isolating your puppy.
At night you should put the crate in your bedroom – at least in the early weeks. The puppy will kick up a fuss at first. This is only to be expected, as she’ll be frightened by her new surroundings and most likely missing her mom and littermates.
Don’t over compensate though. If you come running every time she cries, you’ll end up having a lot of sleepless nights.
Within a day or two, your pup will be used to the crate and within a few weeks you can move her out of the bedroom. She’ll probably kick up a fuss again, but provided you don’t respond to her cries, she will get used to the idea quite quickly.
Pretty soon she’ll love her crate and will probably sleep there by choice.
Crate training is also a real boon for housebreaking. Dogs are instinctively clean animals who don’t ‘go’ where they sleep. For this reason your pup will learn from an early age how to ‘keep it in’, while she’s in the crate.
Remember though that a puppy does not have the control of an adult dog, so give her regular toilet breaks every hour or so.
When she kicks up a fuss take her outside straight away. You’ll reap the benefits when you start potty training later on.
Visit www.dogsanddogtraining.com to discovermore about crate training puppies, dog care, facts about dogs and other helpful dog info.
